australian aboriginalsWilson, G. W. "Camp of Australian Aborigines." 1895. Australia: Aborigines And White Settlers. Accessed January 16, 2012. http://www.janesoceania.com/ australia_aboriginal_whitesettlers/index1.htm. Great Britain’s imposing presence in Australia and New Zealand induced strife and destruction upon native populations. The forceful entrance of Great Britain into Australia and New Zealand is best depicted in the Treaty of Waitangi. Shortly after their arrival in New Zealand, the British government presented the Treaty of Waitangi to the Maori leaders. They signed the treaty, unbeknownst to the fact that they were consequently relinquishing their authority to the British government as the treaty stated,
Maori chiefs signing the Treaty of Waitangi
“The Chiefs...cede to Her Majesty the Queen of England absolutely and without reservation all the rights and powers of sovereignty which [they]...exercise or possess” (Hobson 1). By forcing the treaty upon the natives, they consequently had no say in Great Britain taking the lands that had belonged to them for countless years. The British took much of the land that was once owned by the aborigines without consent other than the treaty, portraying their forceful entrance into Australia and New Zealand. Maori leaders signing the Treaty of WaitangiSigning the Treaty of Waitangi. 1840. Alexander Turnbull Library. Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Accessed January 16, 2012. http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/northland-region/1/2. aboriginals fighting British settlersCalvert, Samuel. Aborigines and White Settlers in Battle. 1867. Treaty Republic. Accessed January 16, 2012. http://treatyrepublic.net/content/ history-australian-aboriginal-massacres. After Great Britain took full power over Australia and New Zealand, conflict ensued between the natives and the British. As the English continued to move into the land of the aboriginals, the natives were displaced. However, they did not do so without a fight, and many violent confrontations occurred. Rebellions also became a common occurrence, but the superior military power of the British devastated aboriginal forces (Traditions 745). This resulted in the deaths of hundreds of aboriginals; however disease also aided in the massive loss of natives throughout Australia and New Zealand. Diseases such as smallpox and measles brought by the British resulted in the devastation of the aboriginal population, whose immune systems were not able to fight off the foreign diseases (Traditions 744). The arrival of the British seeking imperial power consequently resulted in the death of thousands of natives throughout Australia and New Zealand, dramatically altering the previous ways of these lands.
Despite the devastation of the aborigines caused by British imperialism, the natives soon became dependent upon Great Britain for survival. A British letter depicts such, explaining, “All its imports are from Sydney and Melbourne and British colonies, and all its exports are also to British colonies” (Paton 1). By taking away much of their land and resources, they were forced to rely on Great Britain for trading goods and food. As stated in the letter, both the native’s imports and exports went to major ports instituted and controlled by Great Britain. Consequently, the arrival of the British in Australia and New Zealand also made the previously globally independent aboriginal populations reliant upon Great Britain for its survival. As evident in the wide range of effects from Great Britain’s arrival, the imperialization of Australia and New Zealand caused disruption among the aboriginals that dramatically reshaped their previous ways of life.graph depicting the drop in the aboriginal population during the 19th centuryAboriginal Population. Chart. Historical Population Health. Accessed January 16, 2012. http://www.chs.unimelb.edu.au/programs/historical_population_health.
~Caroline Henebry
Imperialism in Australia and New Zealand
White Settlers. Accessed January 16, 2012. http://www.janesoceania.com/
australia_aboriginal_whitesettlers/index1.htm.
Great Britain’s imposing presence in Australia and New Zealand induced strife and destruction upon native populations. The forceful entrance of Great Britain into Australia and New Zealand is best depicted in the Treaty of Waitangi. Shortly after their arrival in New Zealand, the British government presented the Treaty of Waitangi to the Maori leaders. They signed the treaty, unbeknownst to the fact that they were consequently relinquishing their authority to the British government as the treaty stated,
“The Chiefs...cede to Her Majesty the Queen of England absolutely and without reservation all the rights and powers of sovereignty which [they]...exercise or possess” (Hobson 1). By forcing the treaty upon the natives, they consequently had no say in Great Britain taking the lands that had belonged to them for countless years. The British took much of the land that was once owned by the aborigines without consent other than the treaty, portraying their forceful entrance into Australia and New Zealand.
Maori leaders signing the Treaty of WaitangiSigning the Treaty of Waitangi. 1840. Alexander Turnbull Library. Te Ara
Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Accessed January 16, 2012.
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/northland-region/1/2.
aboriginals fighting British settlersCalvert, Samuel. Aborigines and White Settlers in Battle. 1867. Treaty Republic.
Accessed January 16, 2012. http://treatyrepublic.net/content/
history-australian-aboriginal-massacres.
2012. http://www.chs.unimelb.edu.au/programs/historical_population_health.
~Caroline Henebry
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